Bicycle Mechanics - Are these usually

...brazed or screwed on? I hope for the latter, so I can remove them reversibly:
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o197/old_fool/bikeparts/DSCN2717.jpg

Brazed.

Brazed.

sh*t!

you can get downtube cable stops to cover them from loosescrews and other places. if you remove the barrel adjuster, they would not be too unsightly.

http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.asp?PART_NUM_SUB='0588-00'

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r162/jsharr/cablestop.jpg

Are you removing them to make the frame into a fixed or single speed or just to get them out of the way? If I had this come into the shop i would normally reheat the solder with a torch, but i don't recommend it here because the paint looks in extremely good condition. If your certain you will never use them again, saw or grind them off at the stop and go over them with paint or just clear coat them.

Are you removing them to make the frame into a fixed or single speed or just to get them out of the way? If I had this come into the shop i would normally reheat the solder with a torch, but i don't recommend it here because the paint looks in extremely good condition. If your certain you will never use them again, saw or grind them off at the stop and go over them with paint or just clear coat them.

It will be a singlespeed. SO I want to get those out of the way. But if it was possible to do it reversibly, I'd have rather done it that way. I really hate these geared-bike-protuberances.

Yes, the paintjob is still quite nice. It would be a pity to torch it.

you can get downtube cable stops to cover them from loosescrews and other places. if you remove the barrel adjuster, they would not be too unsightly.

http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.asp?PART_NUM_SUB='0588-00'

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r162/jsharr/cablestop.jpg

Thanks. I would take that idea into consideration for some other applications, but in this case, that would make those studs even more prominent and gnarly. (btw, "gnarly" is a nice word)

From the pictures it' shard to tell, but see if the post have flat slots or perpendicular flat surfaces. This will give you a surface for a 10mm wrench to be used for removal. It make take some time as these post are on there pretty tight.

Thanks. I would take that idea into consideration for some other applications, but in this case, that would make those studs even more prominent and gnarly. (btw, "gnarly" is a nice word)

Protuberances is cooler in my opinion! Get some dice, in a color to complement your theme, drill some holes in them and epoxy in some bolts that fit the threads on the those studs. Screw the dice over the studs! You could use anything to fit the theme of the bike. Skulls, whatever. Get creative.

Hang streamers from them!

They are brazed on so you have 3 choices. Leave them. leave them and cover them, or remove and repaint.
The last is reversible just re-braze and repaint. It's only money right?

They are brazed on so you have 3 choices. Leave them. leave them and cover them, or remove and repaint.
The last is reversible just re-braze and repaint. It's only money right?

#4- Buy a bike/frame that is supposed to run as fixed gear/single speed instead of destroying a nice frame by "getting rid" of the attributes that are required so it can function the way is was designed Ahhh !!! fashion.:p

From the pictures it' shard to tell, but see if the post have flat slots or perpendicular flat surfaces. This will give you a surface for a 10mm wrench to be used for removal. It make take some time as these post are on there pretty tight.

Yes, they have those flat surfaces, that's why I was hoping I could have a chance at screwing them off.

They are brazed on so you have 3 choices. Leave them. leave them and cover them, or remove and repaint.
The last is reversible just re-braze and repaint. It's only money right?

Do you have any tip on how to remove them with least damage?

Like I mentioned try a 10mm open end wrench or try using a large adjustable.

Like I mentioned try a 10mm open end wrench or try using a large adjustable. Right. The wrench. I am not sure how delicate this can be, because I have no experience with removing brazed parts. Since (if I am not mistaken, which I might be, but hold your flamethrowers for a sec) brazing is done with copper (or was it bronze), which is much weaker than steel, I shouldn't need to apply too much stress - at least, in relative terms to what the frame can whistand.

Oh yeah, and then the paint. Should I cover the frame around the stud (AKA "unnecessary protuberance") tightly with some kind of tape, to keep the paint from defoliating?

Thanks. I would take that idea into consideration for some other applications, but in this case, that would make those studs even more prominent and gnarly. (btw, "gnarly" is a nice word)


Actually after you remove the adjustment barrels it covers the studs quite nicely. I did this with my Trek 1220 that was a SS for a while, and is now back to a geared bike.

If you try to remove the brazed-on dt stops, like vasracer suggests, you run a very strong risk of damaging the downtube. It depends on the strength of the brazing. If it were my frame, I wouldn't take the chance, I'd cover the stops as others have suggested.

Keep 'em on. When you get to be my age you'll want gears!

From the pictures it' shard to tell, but see if the post have flat slots or perpendicular flat surfaces. This will give you a surface for a 10mm wrench to be used for removal. It make take some time as these post are on there pretty tight.

Don't dew eet mahn!!!!
http://www.deletetheweb.com/unstuck/ren-or-stimpy.jpg

You could grind them down then repaint the raw steel.

Twisting them out seems to me like a staggeringly bad idea. Since, if you take them off, you're going to have to repaint the area anyway, just grind them down.

Unfortunately it's not a close-up , but a pic of my covered braze-ons with the cable stops, barrels removed
http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/d/213245-2/Trek1220-1.jpg

Keep 'em on. When you get to be my age you'll want gears!

I think I'm already your age! 39 in a week.



You could grind them down then repaint the raw steel.
Twisting them out seems to me like a staggeringly bad idea. Since, if you take them off, you're going to have to repaint the area anyway, just grind them down.

I was thinking exactly that. Thanks for reinforcing what I was suspecting.

#4- Buy a bike/frame that is supposed to run as fixed gear/single speed instead of destroying a nice frame by "getting rid" of the attributes that are required so it can function the way is was designed Ahhh !!! fashion.:p

True. A real SS will have the right drop outs also.

Don't dew eet mahn!!!!
http://www.deletetheweb.com/unstuck/ren-or-stimpy.jpg

Aw.. okay okay.....

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o197/old_fool/bikeparts/DSCN2716.jpg

This is the best I could do.

True. A real SS will have the right drop outs also.

This frame already has the right dropouts.

Just leave them alone, unless you want to do a full repaint after removing them.

Just screw on some LED blinkies....the ones for shrader valves.
They only turn on at night and with vibration.

I think I understand that is the aesthetics that are important to you here and it seems like the only thing that will really satisfy you is to remove them entirely. The bike has the right DO so it could be a nice bike.

If you can't do it right, wait until you can. Cover them somehow and go back and finish the job when you have the resources to paint properly. In fact, if you wait, you may even find that you will want to add some braze-ons for a rack or fenders or a pump peg, or a braze on for a number plate...:eek:

Do it all at once and repaint.

This frame already has the right dropouts.

Horizontal drop outs and shifter bosses? Did some one add them to a track frame?

Horizontal drop outs and shifter bosses? Did some one add them to a track frame?
Don't be such a curmudgeon, bikes with track ends are not the only ones suitable for ss/fg.

[To the tune of the Barbara Mandrell classic]
If horizontal drops are wrong, I don't wanna be right.[/singing]

Horizontal drop outs and shifter bosses? Did some one add them to a track frame?

I don't understand what the fsck is your problem. I might or might not remove the downtube shifter gibbosities, but otherwise this frame does exactly what I want, and I already have it. Even if I didn't have this frame I wouldn't buy a track frame because it doesn't suit me for many reasons.

Horizontal drop outs and shifter bosses? Did some one add them to a track frame?

There are at least a couple of frames around that are designed as jacks-of-all-trades that can work well as either a geared or SS bike, mainly due to having horizontal dropouts in addition to a full complement of brake and shifter mounts and housing stops. I'm thinking specifically of the Surly Cross-Check and the Salsa Casseroll, though I'm sure there are others.

However, just as unneeded/unused braze-ons are a minus on an SS rig, horizontal dropouts are a bit of a PITA on a geared bike, so the "master of none" part of the aformentioned old saw is appropriate, IMHO.

There are at least a couple of frames around that are designed as jacks-of-all-trades that can work well as either a geared or SS bike, mainly due to having horizontal dropouts in addition to a full complement of brake and shifter mounts and housing stops. I'm thinking specifically of the Surly Cross-Check and the Salsa Casseroll, though I'm sure there are others.

However, just as unneeded/unused braze-ons are a minus on an SS rig, horizontal dropouts are a bit of a PITA on a geared bike, so the "master of none" part of the aformentioned old saw is appropriate, IMHO.

Horizontal dropouts are fine for a geared bike. (been used on road bikes forever up until almost recently). If you have a rear deraileur, all you have to do is pull the rear wheel all the way back till it sits at the "bottom" of the dropout, and tighten the axle bolts or skewer. No worries.

Horizontal dropouts are fine for a geared bike. (been used on road bikes forever up until almost recently). If you have a rear deraileur, all you have to do is pull the rear wheel all the way back till it sits at the "bottom" of the dropout, and tighten the axle bolts or skewer. No worries.

Maybe it's just me, but I find that they do make it a bit harder to get the rear wheel on, especially when fenders and larger tires are involved, because you have to slide the wheel forward and then sort of jockey it around to get it into the dropouts, at which point the tire can wedge up against the chainstay bridge, requiring you to sort of force it in (the fender and its mounting bolt reduce the amount of clearance here, and just generally get in the way). At least that's what happens on my Cross-Check but it no doubt depends on the frame geometry, tires, and other factors. It's not that big of a deal (how often do you take the rear wheel off anyway), but whenever I perform the same task on my vertical-dropout road bike, it always seems noticeably easier and less fussy.

Horizontal dropouts are fine for a geared bike. (been used on road bikes forever up until almost recently). If you have a rear deraileur, all you have to do is pull the rear wheel all the way back till it sits at the "bottom" of the dropout, and tighten the axle bolts or skewer. No worries.

Usually if you slide the axle all the way back in the dropouts, your shifting will suffer. It's best to position the axle somewhere in the middle or closer to the front with horizontal dropouts.

Adjustment screws, the kind that screw in from the rear of the dropouts, allow you to slide the axle back to a "stop," and also allow fine adjustment to align the wheel in the frame.

On bikes without adjustment screws, often with adapter claw derailleur hangers, the claw is made in such a way that it won't allow the axle to slide back in the dropout more than about half way. On the other side, with this type of arrangement, there's often a spacer that is secured by tightening a screw, again providing a "stop" to slide the axle back against. These spacers can be moved fore or aft to fine tune alignment, then tightened up to provide a "stop" for the axle to slide back against. The spacers aren't by any means necessary, but are handy.

But the bottom line is that sliding the axle all the way to the back of the dropout on a bike with a rear derailleur is not a good idea-

Horizontal drop outs and shifter bosses? Did some one add them to a track frame?

Wake up and smell the coffee. This is how most bikes pre-approx-1980 were built. We're not talking track dropouts, just horizontal.

Perfect example right here: http://www.velostuf.com/campy1010early.jpg

Adjustment screws, the kind that screw in from the rear of the dropouts, allow you to slide the axle back to a "stop," and also allow fine adjustment to align the wheel in the frame.


True.

Maybe it's just me, but I find that they do make it a bit harder to get the rear wheel on, especially when fenders and larger tires are involved, because you have to slide the wheel forward and then sort of jockey it around to get it into the dropouts, at which point the tire can wedge up against the chainstay bridge, requiring you to sort of force it in (the fender and its mounting bolt reduce the amount of clearance here, and just generally get in the way).

That's ture, too.

By horizontal I meant the track type open to the rear. Everyone is so touchey. Don't the forward opening dropouts run the risk of losing the wheel and not enough room to properly tension the chain?
I am not trying to insult anyone here and don't like the same directed at me.
Just asked a question so get over it, please.

By horizontal I meant the track type open to the rear. Everyone is so touchey. Don't the forward opening dropouts run the risk of losing the wheel and not enough room to properly tension the chain?


Horizontal and track dropouts refer to two totally different things. Forward dropouts don't run the risk of losing the wheel because it's 99.999999999% likely that one side is loose and jams on that side.

I've never heard of anyone having the wheel come out both sides, equally and simultaenously enough to drop the wheel out - unless the QR/nuts were not secured AT all. One side will STILL jam (most likely the right) before the other.

Horizontal dropouts also will never run out of space to tension the chain with magic gears and half links. But you are right - some dropouts are longer than others. Track ends are typically longer or equal to most horizontal dropouts.

From the pictures it' shard to tell, but see if the post have flat slots or perpendicular flat surfaces. This will give you a surface for a 10mm wrench to be used for removal. It make take some time as these post are on there pretty tight.

NO, No, NO. Those are brazed on. While you might be able to pop them off with a wrench, if the guy that brazed them was any good you will probably rip a nice hole in the tube.

There are some shifter stubs that are screwed in, Cannondale used them for example, but not yours.

Its probably brazed with brass (though I put my braze ons with silver) and trying to rip them off, will probably result in a damaged downtube. I'd leave them put, or take a grinder and grind it down.

Torching it will totally mess up your paint. I'm converting a frame now to a single speed (putting in track drops and removing all the brazeons) and the torch does wonders to the paint. Luckly my customer is getting it repainted and i dont have to worry about it.

By horizontal I meant the track type open to the rear. Everyone is so touchey. Don't the forward opening dropouts run the risk of losing the wheel and not enough room to properly tension the chain?
I am not trying to insult anyone here and don't like the same directed at me.
Just asked a question so get over it, please.

All you need to adjust chain tension is half a chainlink length - that's by how much the rear wheel position changes when you remove/add a link. (Front-facing) horiz dropouts have way more than that to play with. Keep in mind you don't need extra room to pick up the chain in the first place, you can do that before getting the axle into the dropout. And with a pair of dropout adjust screws, you can set the tension once and get back to the same point every time.

As for losing the wheel forward, I don't see how that could happen, even with un-tightened axle nuts: the wheel would jam into the left chainstay at the first push on the pedals.

It's considered a no-no to apply heat to an assembled main triangle; I think it can warp the frame.

As for wrenching them off, they are down far enough from the butted ends that the tube walls are getting thin so you run a real risk of buggering up the tubes.

I like the LED blinkie idea.

Like I mentioned try a 10mm open end wrench or try using a large adjustable.

Have you actually done this?

I have done it plenty of times, on a frame for myself and my girl friends and for customers who wish not to have these bosses protruding out from the frame.

I have done it plenty of times, on a frame for myself and my girl friends and for customers who wish not to have these bosses protruding out from the frame.
Do you have any pictures of the results?

http://www.paragonmachineworks.com/images/index.13.jpg

This does not look like it would screw off once it's brazed onto the frame.

http://www.paragonmachineworks.com/images/index.13.jpg

This does not look like it would screw off once it's brazed onto the frame.

There are some studs that are screwed into the braze-on bosses. I've had one come loose on me years ago when I raced with DT shifters (Yes, Johnny, there was a time before ErgoPower and STI).